Ladbrokes has installed Straw Bear as the 7/2 narrow favourite for the Irish Champion Hurdle at Leopardstown at the end of this month.

Sublimity is second favourite at 4/1 from 9/2 pair Harchibald and Sizing Europe.

David Williams of Ladbrokes said: "The Leopardstown race will have as big a bearing on the Cheltenham Festival betting as anything we've yet seen this season. The entries are excellent and the market already extremely competitive. We've a mouth-watering race to look forward to at the end of the month."

AIG Europe Champion Hurdle, 2m, Leopardstown, Sunday 27th January 2008, Ladbrokes bet: 7/2 Straw Bear, 4 Sublimity, 9/2 Harchibald, 9/2 Sizing Europe, 5 Al Eile, 10 Aitmatov, 10 Hardy Eustace, 10 Lounaos, 12 Jazz Messenger, 16 Ebazaiyan, 16 Silent Oscar, 33 Accordion Etoile, 33 Adamant Approach, 33 Bahrain Storm, (1/5 odds 1,2,3).